A full-page advert appears in today's Evening Gazette from Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell containing a full transcript of his speech to the House of Commons on Operation Lancet.

Mr Bell says he wants to give the public of Teesside the full facts of Lancet.

Ray Mallon, former head of Middlesbrough CID, says Mr Bell is trying to damage his chances of becoming Middlesbrough's first elected mayor.

Mr Bell said there were many questions still in the minds of the Teesside public - why did Operation Lancet take so long and how much had it cost?

"It is important the full facts are available to everyone through my House of Commons speech.

"We need to expose the drug culture that had to be cleared out of Middlesbrough CID where drug houses were raided but no drugs were found, where informants were given drugs and where those charged with criminal offences were also given drugs to make them reveal other so-called offences.

"And that when drugs were found in raids they subsequently disappeared from police stations.

"The full text of my House of Commons speech will help Teesside understand what Operation Lancet was about," said Mr Bell.

He said he also supported Home Secretary David Blunkett's efforts to fight crime and he fully supported the Cleveland Police Authority in its decision to put an average of 7p a week on council tax to fight crime.

"More money is needed not just to stand still but to take positive action against crime," said Mr Bell.

Mr Mallon said: "Mr Bell acts as prosecutor on behalf of Cleveland Police and elements of the Labour Party so he can attempt to justify the police position and also damage my opportunities of coming the elected mayor.

Mr Mallon claimed Mr Bell was again attempting to smear his name to deflect attention from the fact that Middlesbrough's Labour rulers had presided over big rises in tax and crime.

"The public have a simple choice - they believe me or they believe Mr Bell.

"In my opinion this is another episode showing why there is an urgent need for change in the way Middlesbrough is run.

"The forthcoming mayoral election gives the public the chance to bring about that change," said Mr Mallon.